The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-04-13
NUMBER 30.

felled, and all others were gindled.
Another reason for this was that much
of the moss which was blown FROM these
forest trees would fall upon the orange
trees and grow there, which caused a
great deal of labor To remove, and proved
great nuisance. One effect OF killing
the forest trees and clearing out the un-
derbrush has been TO cause a wonderfully
rank growth of grass, weeds, and briers,
which doubtless impede the growth and
impairs the vigor Of the orange tree, and
we shall be under the necessity of scalp
ing the whole surface Of the grove with
the hoe, AS any other manner OF cultiva-
tion at present is impracticable.
When we commenced To have the trees
transplanted, we found the water as
soon as we broke the surface, and fire.
quently before, and the next thing
deemed necessary was to give To the
grove thorough drainage by open
bitches, which was done, and we now
find no Inconvenience from surface
water.
| have not the necessary memoranda
here Ia enable me To state the number of
oranges or Of boxes taken from tho
groves from year To year, but | remem-
ber that our first picking was about
eighty oranges, which must have been
about 1880, and our last crop was a few
boxes in excess of ., 100, but the fruit last
year was very much smaller than ever
before, particularly from the transplanted
grove, doubtless caused by the freezing
two years since. The fruit from the old
grove, as | was told, was very nearly the
usual size as the trees in that grove being
protected by the dense cypress swamp
upon the north and west sides, and pos
sibly somewhat by the river, suffered
very little from the effects of the freez-
ing, not losing their leaves, whereas, the
trees in the transplanted grove lost all
their leaves, and the fruit upon those
trees were not more than two-thirds tho
ordinary size, and on good many OF the
trees, which were unusually loaded, the
fruit was not more than one-half the
usual size, SO that large proportion of
our boxes held from $50 to 450 each. In
regard To profits | cannot speak with ac-
curacy. We have spent "a good deal in
erecting buildings for the occupation of
the care-taker. We have much enlarged
the grove by transplanting Seeding trees
from the old grove 10 adjoining lands,
which have not yet come into bearing,
we have expended good deal OF money
in ditching, draining the land, and drain
ing marsh ponds. We have also con-
structed barbed wire fence around tho
whole tract and ON each side of the high
way, and thus prevented trespassing by
Florida's greatest nuisance, the wild and
improved the property but has added
nothing as yet to the yearly income. 30
that il will require a few, but very few.
thousands, To repay my advances.
On the LIST Of April, 1877 / made a con-
tract with Mr.. T.. II. Stearns, by which II
was agreed that he should have the tills
to one-third of the property free that
he should build a house upon the prem
ises and occupy IL, free Of rent, and that
he should take charge Of the property,
giving his whole time TO IL, mt a salary of
5000 per annum that should advance
all the money needed, he 10 be charged
with one-third of all expenses, including
his salary, and be- entitled To one third OF
all receipts.
That contract has been fully carried
out ON his part, and he Is now the unem-
barrassed owner Of one-third OF ths
property, and the other two-thirds belong
Ia me. think he il satisfied with the
result; do not complain. In regard 10
the present value II the property, leave
that Ia others: il IL not for sale.
MY RxPERIEScE IN ORANGE GROVES.
When first visited Florida was often
told that the orange tree required less
care than any other fruit tree; only plant
the tree; plant IL in the woods; II will
need nospecial attention, and they would
refer 10 the wild groves, mostly, IL not
all of them, in the forests, and In land 30
moist or wet that il could not he burned
over, and see how they flourish and bear
annual crops. That appeared to be all
true, hut l have not found il so In regard
W AiS' HN'hA ''hhk's Pt1heT' 1tsh
cultivated about every variety Of fruit
trees that will grow In the climate OF
Western n. ", and my experience
and observation has convinced me that
the orange tree needs more care in Its
cultivation, and has more enemies and
other fruit trees have ever planted or
cultivated.
And am satisfied from my experience
and observation that great many Of the
orange groves which have been started
in Florida will he found Improbable and
will be abandoned. while other groves.
which have been planted in suitable soil
and in favorable locations, II properly
cared for, will continue to be very profit
able, and in this regard the orange does
not differ very much from other fruit.
Soon after we got the Acosta Grant
grove fairly started many Of the budded
trees were attacked by that, 10 me, In
scrutable disease, the die back, and
many Of thsm died-several hundred,
think, in the old grove. i do not recol.
lect that any in the transplanted grove
were attacked. Some ~ them recovered,
but very few Of them, and that disease
still continues 10 trouble us.
The scale insect has attacked some Of
the trees, and IL has required a good deal
Of whale-oil soap end Of scrubbing. ac-
compaDied by good cultivation and the
free use Of smoke. 10 get rid OF them.
! frequently hear IL asserted that the
orange tree will not flourish where this